Yengkhom Jilangamba is right in saying the Manipur blockade, in force since August this year, has not caught the attention of the national media. (“Manipur blockaded on road to nowhere,” Oct. 26). The media perhaps do not find the issue attractive. But what is happening in Manipur cannot be wished away. The apathy of the Centre and the State government is the root cause of the problem. There have been many blockades in over a decade. One wonders whether there is any governance at all in the region.
The first step towards resolving the issue is to acknowledge the sufferings of various communities and enter into effective discussions with them. The Centre should invest time and effort in this and show a genuine concern for the people of the region.
Vijayalakshmi Swaminathan,
Chennai
